Uwb moving object detection and alerting

Abstract

Ultra-wideband (UWB) radar and ranging sessions is performed. Responsive to one or more mobile devices being detected within the vehicle, an inside schedule mode is activated with an inside scheduling of UWB radar sessions and UWB ranging sessions for UWB anchors of the vehicle. Responsive to the vehicle entering a key-off state, and no mobile devices being detected within the vehicle, an outside schedule mode is activated with an outside scheduling of UWB radar sessions and UWB ranging sessions for the UWB anchors of the vehicle. In the inside schedule mode, the UWB anchors perform localization within the vehicle and moving object detection outside the vehicle. In the outside schedule mode, the UWB anchors perform localization of the one or more mobile devices outside the vehicle and moving object detection and/or localization inside and/or outside the vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method implemented by a controller of a vehicle for performing ultra-wideband (UWB) radar and ranging sessions, the method comprising:
 responsive to one or more mobile devices being detected within a vehicle, activating an inside schedule mode with an inside scheduling of UWB radar sessions and UWB ranging sessions for UWB anchors of the vehicle; and   responsive to the vehicle entering the key-off state, and no mobile devices being detected within the vehicle, activating an outside schedule mode with an outside scheduling of UWB radar sessions and UWB ranging sessions for the UWB anchors of the vehicle,   wherein, in the inside schedule mode, the UWB anchors perform localization within the vehicle and moving object detection outside the vehicle,   wherein, in the outside schedule mode, the UWB anchors perform localization of the one or more mobile devices outside the vehicle and moving object detection and/or localization inside and/or outside the vehicle.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising scheduling the UWB radar sessions and the UWB ranging sessions by configuring specific ones of the UWB anchors to send radar packets without overlapping with other UWB anchors and without interfering with slots reserved for ranging. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising utilizing unused time slots within ranging rounds for the radar sessions. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising utilizing unused ranging rounds for the radar sessions. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising utilizing a combination of unused time slots within an existing ranging round and unused ranging rounds for the radar sessions. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 alternating between the UWB radar sessions and the UWB ranging sessions in a time-synchronous manner;   during the UWB ranging sessions, calculating distances from at least three of the UWB anchors to determine the position of a mobile device; and   during the UWB radar sessions, using the UWB anchors to detect and track presence and movement of objects around the vehicle by analyzing returned radar signals.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising in the UWB radar sessions:
 transmitting radar messages;   receiving and monitoring channel impulse response (CIR) messages arising from the transmitted radar messages to detect a moving object in proximity to the vehicle; and   calculating size and distance of detected objects based on the transmitted radar messages.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising, in the inside schedule mode, alerting using a human machine interface (HMI) of the vehicle responsive to the detected moving object being within a predefined distance threshold to the vehicle. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising, in the outside schedule mode, sending a notification to a mobile device of a user of the vehicle responsive to the detected moving object being within a predefined distance threshold to the vehicle. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, responsive to one of the UWB anchors being unable to join any of the UWB ranging sessions, establishing a connection between one of the UWB anchors that is joined to the UWB ranging sessions and the one of the UWB anchors unable to join, such that the UWB radar sessions can use the one of the UWB anchors unable to join to the UWB ranging sessions. 
     
     
         11 . A system for performing ultra-wideband (UWB) radar and ranging sessions, the system comprising:
 a plurality of UWB anchors of a vehicle; and   a controller of the vehicle, configured to:   responsive to one or more mobile devices being detected within the vehicle, activate an inside schedule mode with an inside scheduling of UWB radar sessions and UWB ranging sessions for the UWB anchors of the vehicle, and   responsive to the vehicle entering the key-off state, and no mobile devices being detected within the vehicle, activate an outside schedule mode with an outside scheduling of UWB radar sessions and UWB ranging sessions for the UWB anchors of the vehicle,   wherein, in the inside schedule mode, the UWB anchors perform localization within the vehicle and moving object detection outside the vehicle,   wherein, in the outside schedule mode, the UWB anchors perform the localization and moving object detection outside the vehicle.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured to schedule the UWB radar sessions and the UWB ranging sessions by configuring specific ones of the UWB anchors to send radar packets without overlapping with other UWB anchors and without interfering with slots reserved for ranging. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured to utilize unused time slots within ranging rounds for the radar sessions. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured to utilize unused ranging rounds for the radar sessions. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured to utilize a combination of unused time slots within an existing ranging round and unused ranging rounds for the radar sessions. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 alternate between the UWB radar sessions and the UWB ranging sessions in a time-synchronous manner;   during the UWB ranging sessions, calculate distances from at least three of the UWB anchors to determine the position of a mobile device; and   during the UWB radar sessions, use the UWB anchors to detect and track presence and movement of objects around the vehicle by analyzing returned radar signals.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured in the UWB radar sessions:
 transmit radar messages;   receive and monitor channel impulse response (CIR) messages arising from the transmitted radar messages to detect a moving object in proximity to the vehicle; and   calculate size and distance of detected objects based on the transmitted radar messages.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 in the inside schedule mode, alert using an HMI of the vehicle responsive to the detected object being within a predefined distance threshold to the vehicle; and/or   in the outside schedule mode, send a notification to a mobile device of a user of the vehicle responsive to the detected object being within the predefined distance threshold to the vehicle.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured to, responsive to one of the UWB anchors being unable to join any of the UWB ranging sessions, establish a connection between one of the UWB anchors that is joined to the UWB ranging sessions and the one of the UWB anchors unable to join, such that the UWB radar sessions can use the one of the UWB anchors unable to join to the UWB ranging sessions. 
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a controller of a vehicle having a plurality of UWB anchors, causes the controller to perform operations including to:
 responsive one or more mobile devices being detected within the vehicle, activate an inside schedule mode with an inside scheduling of UWB radar sessions and UWB ranging sessions for UWB anchors of the vehicle; and   responsive to the vehicle entering the key-off state, and no mobile devices being detected within the vehicle, activate an outside schedule mode with an outside scheduling of UWB radar sessions and UWB ranging sessions for the UWB anchors of the vehicle,   wherein, in the inside schedule mode, the UWB anchors perform localization within the vehicle and moving object detection outside the vehicle,   wherein, in the outside schedule mode, the UWB anchors perform localization of the one or more mobile devices outside the vehicle and moving object detection and/or localization inside and/or outside the vehicle.